Are you constantly tired and overwhelmed, feeling like you’re always trying to keep up?
Do you realize that feeling rushed and anxious stems from a state of mind that you can quickly change?
The power to shift from feeling rushed to being centered is already within you. It only takes a moment of awareness. A moment of knowing “I’m not here right now, my mind is spinning somewhere else.”
It’s in that moment of self-awareness that we can take a deep breath and bring ourselves back. We can gather up all of our dissipated attention and ground ourselves here and now.
The experience of inner-balance is an inside practice, one that requires constant awareness. Taking time for rest and downtime may mean living a different way and making different choices for ourselves. Instead of choosing activities that constantly deplete us, we find the wisdom in making choices that feed us. Only we can give ourselves permission to get good rest. But we must first choose to value it and make it a priority.
When we rest, the benefit is undeniable. We feel brighter, more ourselves. We become full of life. The rejuvenation we receive from deep rest boosts our immunity and gives us the motivation to pursue our deepest passions.
7 Tips to Restore Your Body-Mind:
1) Be realistic about your time and energy.
When you set your schedule for the week ahead, be honest. If you look at your schedule and it feels stressful, it probably is. What changes in your schedule would you allow you to experience more balance? Consider penning in downtime and rest so you know you’re going to get it.
2) Learn to value rest as much as productivity.
We live in a society of go-go-go. Take time to withdraw from the external buzz of constantly doing and stop. Give yourself the opportunity to receive the benefit of deep relaxation. Notice how it affects your well-being and productivity.
3) Turn of all electronics at least 1 hour before bedtime.
Practice having pause with your technology devices everyday. It’ll help calm your nervous system and your mental state before you sleep. Be sure to remove them from your bedroom!
4) Refrain from stimulating activities like talking, television and exercise before sleep time.
Don’t get revved up before bed. Disengage from anything that might require hyper activity so that you can start to come down and unwind from your day.
5) Create a ritual before bedtime.
Doing so will successfully set you up for relaxation. Engaging in a daily nighttime ritual sends a message to your unconscious brain that it’s time for rest. Do something sweet for yourself: take a bath, turn down lights, practice some guided meditation.
6) Make your sleeping space a serene environment.
Your bedroom should feel restful. If you have piles of clutter, work projects and other things like exercise gear that don’t really belong in the bedroom, clear them out. Add elements and colors that create a sense of peace and harmony. When you come into your bedroom, it should feel like, “ahhhhh..”
7) Learn how to restore yourself through practices such as restorative yoga, yogic sleep and meditation.
It’s important to spend a little time each day calming your mind. By doing so, you allow the body to engage the relaxation response which naturally brings your body and mind to balance. It allows you to receive even deeper sleep and restfulness during the nighttime.
If you’d like extra tools and practices for learning how to unwind and let go, visit our flagship course, Meditation for Relaxation. It’s all online, it’s structured and it’s guided. All you have to do is sit back, enjoy and listen.
“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” — Sidney Harris
Originally published at medium.com